If You're Not Printing Your e.m.papers Wedding Invitation At Home, Read This First.

Feb 18, 2011

Recently, we've gotten a few emails from customers in the middle of producing their e.m.papers wedding invitations using either a professional printer (digital, offset) or a copy place. These customers found that because the file is secured (the underlying artwork is locked) the printers were not able to produce it.

This was conerning and surprising because we had tested this at the local Kinko's to make sure that it worked. I uploaded my files to the website (see screen shot below) then, along with my husband, went by later and picked them up. The whole thing worked beautifully, we even cut out the invites using the paper cutters that were provided there. Making about 25 invitations took a little less than an hour, not including the turnaround time at the copy place, which was less than a day.

I tried another test at a different copy shop, on a digital printer, and again, it worked wonderfully:

So here's the deal: It will probably be fine, but there is a risk you may run into problems. I've listed a couple of things you may want to consider/do before you purchase the set if you are sure that the only way you want to produce your printables is at a printer or copy shop.

1. Download our free sample Bike wedding invitation template. Take/send it to the printer you want to use. If they have no problem with the file, they'll have no problem with the final one you use. If you are using a printer that allows you to upload your file to be printed, and you get an error when you upload your e.m.papers PDF, that's probably a good sign it won't work.

2. Have us do 'Pre-press' work on your file. We can set up the file to make sure the printer will be able to work with it, and if they do need to make any changes they will be able to make them themselves. To do this, we will need your final wording. It's more expensive, but it includes a color change and wording placement which brings the price on par with similar printable invitation design offers. Find out more on pricing here under 'special services'.

3. Take your chances, which are quite good. Most of the time our customers don't have a problem, here is real feedback we've gotten: 'We got them printed professionally, from your templates and they looked so lovely" "A local offset printing company printed them and they look amazing!" "We sent off the templates, and they printed fine." So, it's your call. Just know that if it doesn't work, we're happy to adjust the files, but we will have to charge a service fee.

So that's the long and the short of it. The safest bet is to print them at home, but for most, copy shops and printers work pretty well. We just wanted to make sure you know what the risks are.